The True Dark Knight
by Legionary Prime
Summary: Harvey Dent never said he was the Batman during that press conference and allows Bruce Wayne to do so. This one change will affect the course of the Dark Knight sage, forever. Rated T for Violence, some language and blood.


A/N: This was an idea I had for a long time, even before I discovered the world of fan fiction. What if Harvey Dent never said he was the Batman in The Dark Knight?

Read and find out.

I personally want to thank my beta, nibblesfan, for helping me out greatly with this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman.

Harvey Dent had a choice to make. As he stood there, addressing the people of Gotham, he was unsure of what to do. He didn't want the Batman to turn himself in to stop the Joker. It won't stop. Harvey has already seen it enough to know that the Joker won't stop with the death of the Batman. It would just allow him to continue his killings without any interference. The Batman is the only one that can stop him. And if he falls, Gotham falls with him.

The District Attorney didn't know what to do. If he said that he was the Batman, then he could be putting his family and friends at risk. Especially Rachel, his girlfriend.

Dent sighed. _'Maybe that is why Batman wears the mask. To protect the ones he cares about so people like __t__he Joker don't kill them. But if he reveals himself, it would all be irrelevant.'_he thought.

But his thoughts were cut off as he saw Bruce Wayne approaching him on the stand as he was talking to the crowd of people and journalists before him.

"Mr. Wayne, what brings you up here?" Dent asked.

Harvey knew that Bruce and Rachel were childhood friends. Rachel said she didn't have any feelings for him anymore, but couldn't say the same for Wayne.

Before he could answer, Bruce was interrupted by a journalist, a blonde woman. "Mr. Wayne, do you have a thing or two to say about the Batman?" she asked.

"Why, yes, I do have one thing to say about him."

"What would that be?" the journalist asked.

Harvey looked at Bruce as he stood right beside him. Dent saw a familiar look in Wayne's eyes that reminded him of the same look the Batman gave him as he said he was going to turn himself in.

_'No, it couldn't be?'_ he thought. He glanced around and saw Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce's personal butler and family friend of the Waynes as he stiffened a bit. There was next to no emotion on the older man's face. Another surprising face was Lucius Fox, current CEO of Wayne Enterprises.

_'I understand why Alfred would be here if Wayne is here. But why would Fox be here?'_ he thought. (Wondered would probably be a better word than thought)

He then saw Rachel with a sad expression on her face. It looked like she knew something big was about to happen.

Then, the next words Bruce Wayne spoke were ones that none of them expected.

"I am the Batman."

The journalists went crazy after that.

After the conference, where the self-proclaimed billionaire and playboy revealed that he was the Batman, the media was in a frenzy. Wayne Enterprises was under fire for using its various inventions to aid the Batman in his crime fighting endeavor, but Wayne assured them that Lucius Fox did not know the real reason what he wanted his inventions for. Fox played the role of a former friend broken apart by a 'lie'. Alfred Pennyworth was nowhere to be seen. Wayne was to be taken to the Police Station then escorted out of state.

Harvey sat in his apartment, trying to think about what happened. The real reason why Bruce was so friendly with him. Was it because he wanted him to be the next Batman? Or was it that he thought that Harvey had a better chance at fighting crime than himself? So many unanswered questions.

The District Attorney heard the door to his bedroom open as he saw Rachel. It looked like she was crying, most likely upset to see her friend taken away, and Gotham's last hope gone.

"Rachel, did you know?" he asked her.

"Yes, I did," she said. He was about to ask her why she kept it from him when someone else followed her in the room.

"Mr. Pennyworth, I didn't expect to see you here," he said as he saw Wayne's former butler come in behind Rachel, followed by Lucius Fox.

"The reason why Miss Dawes kept it a secret was because Master Wayne asked her to. Don't blame her for that," he assured the District Attorney.

"Is there another reason why you're here?" he asked.

"Yes, there is," Alfred said as he pulled out a small folder from under his jacket that he was wearing.

Harvey took the folder and opened it. It contained images of Batman fighting the various criminals, especially the siege of Gotham by the League of Shadows a year ago, and of the mysterious blonde haired man, called Henri Ducard, who attacked Bruce in his home and burned down Wayne Manor.

"That man, Henri Ducard," Alfred pointed to him, "Was Master Wayne's mentor before he turned out to be (Or you could say 'revealed himself as') the leader of the League of Shadows, a group of people who wanted to wipe out the corruption of the world and believed Gotham to be beyond redemption. But Master Wayne thought otherwise and defied him, eventually leading to his death."

"I thought Batman doesn't kill?" Dent asked.

"He doesn't." Alfred assured once more. "He just didn't save him. To quote what Master Wayne said to me about the same question I asked him, 'I'm not going to kill, but I won't save you either.'"

"Why are you telling me this?" Harvey asked.

"Because, Master Dent. Master Wayne needs your help," Alfred said. "The Joker won't stop with Batman in chains. He'll never stop until he is either dead or captured himself. Bruce Wayne saw this and wanted to give me these to you."

"Why me?"

"Because Gotham still needs the Batman," Alfred said. "And Bruce Wayne chose you as his successor to the title."

Harvey looked shocked. He didn't realize that Wayne held so much trust to him to take the Mantle of the Bat. Did he plan this all along? So he could retire? "I don't understand. Why me?"

"Master Wayne thought you were Gotham's best chance at fighting organized crime. Better than what he could ever do. However, when the Joker came around, it forced him to change his plans. I've been trying to convince him to settle down but I don't think he ever will when he is Batman. However, Gotham still needs Batman," Alfred said.

Harvey didn't know what to do. Be the Batman? He looked at Rachel; she had a look that told him that she was unsure of what Harvey would do either. But the way she stared at him, it was like she wanted him to be Batman, to save Bruce. Harvey didn't know if she still has feelings for him or not. He felt a bit conflicted.

"Alright, I'll do it."

Alfred and Fox showed Harvey and Rachel the hidden bunker that Bruce built under the former Wayne Manor. It was not all that big, but big enough to act as a backup headquarters for Bruce. Alfred said that Wayne did have a base of operations but Harvey is not ready yet to be told its location.

The Warehouse contained various computers, the Batmobile as some call it but the Tumbler was the 'official' name, as well as the Batsuit and backups for it, and the weapons he used.

Fox explained all of this to Harvey as he observed the room. "Fox, how am I going to drive that?" he asked as he pointed to the Tumbler.

Lucius let out a chuckle and said "Let the auto pilot handle it."

Just then, a news report appeared on one of the computers saying that the convoy escorting Bruce Wayne had been attacked.

"You need to suit up Harvey Dent."

A/N: There you have it. I tried to expand it a bit, especially to write out the reactions of everyone finding out Bruce Wayne is the Batman, but couldn't get it right in my head. I may do a one-shot or challenge someone else to do it. As for what happens next, read and find out.

Oh, yeah. Before I forget, Harvey Dent is one of the few Batman villains I feel sorry for so I decided on this story so he doesn't become Two-Face in the end. I got most of the plot figured out but I am welcome to some more ideas, as long as they fit of course.

Expect a LOT of changes to the TDK and TDKR here on out


End file.
